Tuesday 12 March 2019 11:34, UK
Paisley Park faces 17 rivals as he bids to confirm his status as a tip-top performer with victory in the Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday.
The Emma Lavelle-trained seven-year-old has taken everything before him so far this season with an unbeaten run of four.
After starting off fairly low key at Aintree in October, Paisley Park won a valuable handicap at Haydock before going on to Grade One glory in the JLT Hurdle at Ascot.
The final piece of the jigsaw was him scoring over three miles at Cheltenham in the Cleeve Hurdle in January when he scooted up by 12 lengths from West Approach.
The latter re-opposes for the Colin Tizzard stable who also have Kilbricken Storm, winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle last year.
Faugheen, the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero, is one of four runners from the Willie Mullins yard along with Bacardys, Bapaume and Coquin Mans.
Jessica Harrington's Supasundae, runner-up 12 months ago, and Petit Mouchoir, from Henry de Bromhead's stable, are the other Irish challengers.
Wholestone, who was third last year, tries again for local trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, while others in the line-up include Black Op, Sam Spinner and Top Notch.
